I'm in the optimistic camp. Top teams often drop points in the first few games so if we could get a reasonable return from those crucial 4 games early on then we could gel and pick up a good return through the autumn. I'll go for 5th with top 4 possible until close to the end of the season.One other thing that could go in our favour is I think (excluding us for this reckoning) there is a clear top 6 when usually there are 2 or 3 who have it wrapped up. If that group takes points off each other rather than a couple running away with it then the points gap will be narrower. It's up to us to make it a top 7.

« Last Edit: July 24, 2017, 08:06:42 AM by Shropshire Blue »

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All those above us have also strengthened. They will need time to bed down. I feel Spurs might be the club to struggle next year. Their efforts to win the league must have taken their toll and perhaps the desire to fight might not be as great.

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"I wouldn't be up here if I hadn't failed a million times." Nick Foles

Likes...

I see us finishing 6th or 7th. We haven't done enough to break into that top 6. It's going to take more windows.

all teams ahead of us have all strengthened except for Spurs. Maybe 1 will have a bad season and we can sneak into top 6. But I wouldn't be upset at another 7th place finish. It's realistically where we are right now.

All those above us have also strengthened. They will need time to bed down. I feel Spurs might be the club to struggle next year. Their efforts to win the league must have taken their toll and perhaps the desire to fight might not be as great.

I agree about Spurs, although more because I think the poor record at Wembley will mess with their heads. One unexpected blip early on and they might find poor home form scuppers them.

Although, Spurs are "above"* us and who have they bought? They are currently weaker? And if Coutinho rumours turn out true then the shite will be weaker too? Admittedly plenty of time left in the window.

*what's with us using the term "above" all the time? If we mean "finished above us last year" fair enough, but part of our problem is we feel like underdogs sneaking in to the big fight. Changing this belief is a part of turning us into real challengers. Koeman and the players lead the way, but the roar of the final days of Goodison needs to be one of belief, not hope or surprise. I'm not going to use "above" any more.

It's quite rare that the 'top 6' actually ends up as the top 6 (last season aside).

Aside from Spurs though, there's no reason why any of them should be (significantly) worse than last season - moving ground is the only big shake up (no new managers, no major player sales (yet) etc)

And since Spurs were miles ahead of us i think it's wrong to say that we should be finishing above any of them, as if there is a similar thread on each of their respective forums non of them would expect to finish below us.

We haven't really gained any ground on those above us and I expect Leicester, WHU, Southampton and even Palace to ramp up the pressure behind us.

Can't see us displacing any of the 6 above. If we did to be frank it would be a good season. If we do not it isn't a failure, it's just a reflection of where we still are. I do hope to challenge of course but there's no god given reason to expect better than 7th.

If we drop from 7th, I will consider it s failure.

I want cup runs this year. Unfortunately as we all know we will get AC Milan or a CL drop out at the earliest possible convenience and get pumped 4-1 over two legs, but it would be lovely to have a nice long euro run.

League cup, cursed not sure why.

FA cup, does his have our name on it? Personally I think yes.

Away win at anfield? Cursed unfortunately but I'd like to catch them with their pants down. I do expect a beating though with the pace and goals they've got in the side now.

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We're miles off 4th I think unless there's some serious meltdowns above us, and if there are I'd expect 2 or 3 managers to lose their jobs.

It's not outside the realms of possibility but for me 7th looks right again, anything above that is a genuine success.

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I knew that someday I was going to die, and I knew that before I died, two things would happen to me. That number one; I would regret my entire life, and number two; that I would want to live my life over again.

Likes...

Broadly I would expect us to pick up at least as many points as last season (I'd be aiming for 65+ though), to make at least the quarter finals of at least one of the domestic cup competitions and to make at least the Round of 32 in the Europa.

I'd be disappointed if we didn't finish top 7, but I'm not gonna be super disappointed if a team below us suddenly finds it in them to pick up 65+ points or if all of the teams above us keep our level up. Difficult to project a domestic cup draw, but I'd be angry if we got knocked out by two teams below us again. As the 7th best team in the country, we should be reaching the last quarter finals onwards in these competitions most of the time.